The present invention is directed to a drain inlet for draining a fluid from an area.
It is frequently desirable to drain fluids, such as standing water from areas in which it accumulates for example during wet weather in the spring or during periods of flood. For example, it is desirable to drain the water from low spots or terraces in agricultural fields to improve the crops and/or the soil when drained.
In the past, such drainage has been accomplished by way of drain tile which is buried beneath the surface of the soil and upstanding inlets which are spaced periodically along the length of the tile and which open above the soil surface and into the area where the water has accumulated to drain the area through the buried drain tile. In such systems some form of grate or screen is usually positioned at the opening to the upstanding drain tile inlet in order to prevent debris which may be in the water from flowing through the inlet and into the drain tile where it can rapidly clog the drain tile and prevent further drainage.
Various screen or grate devices have been employed in the past for this purpose. However, even if not plugged by debris, such prior screening devices generally reduce the flow volume of the water being drained at any given time from the potential flow volume which could be drained without the screen or grate.
In order to overcome this reduction in volume problem, in one prior drain inlet a cylindrical generally constant diameter upstanding pipe is positioned on the drain tile inlet. Such pipe has holes of approximately three quarters to one inch in diameter in bands around the pipe, and also may have a wire cage on the top to let water into the pipe where it can be transported to the buried drain tile. In order to provide a sufficient number of drain holes in the pipe to produce a total cross sectional area of drain holes which is at least as large as the cross sectional area of the pipe and drain tile inlet to maximize the flow volume through the pipe, the cylindrical pipe must extend four to five feet above the soil level. And, because each of the holes is relatively small and because the holes extend radially through the wall of the pipe, the flow rate through each of the holes is relatively high. This results in debris in the water which is to be drained to be drawn to and cover the holes due to the suction produced by the high flow rate through the holes. Moreover, the efficiency of such relatively tall pipe drain inlets is further diminished as the water level drops in the area being drained, because the water level will drop below the drain holes in the upper part of the pipe and, therefore, those holes will no longer function to provide drainage. Another disadvantage of these relatively tall prior pipe drain inlets is that they must be avoided during seeding and harvesting and it is generally necessary to seed and harvest around them because seeders and harvester combines cannot be elevated to a sufficient height during seeding and harvest to be able to pass over the relatively tall drain pipes.
The drain inlet of the present invention overcomes these several disadvantages of the last mentioned prior cylindrical upstanding drain pipe inlets. In the present invention water to be drained from an area flows upwardly into the drain inlet of the present invention through a plurality of elongated slots in laterally extending walls which separate adjacent side walls of the body of the drain inlet. The total cross sectional area of the slots is at least as great and preferably greatly exceeds the cross sectional area of the discharge from the drain inlet of the invention. This insures that the water flow volume into the drain inlet of the present invention is at least as great as the flow volume which can be discharged from the drain inlet even if some of the openings might become non-functional for one reason or another. Also because of the large cross sectional area of the slots, the flow rate though the slots is substantially reduced, thereby minimizing the collection of debris at the slots and the clogging of the slots by such debris. Thus, less time and hassle is involved in wading out into ponds to clean debris out of the openings than was needed with the relatively small holes of the prior drain inlets which was a nuisance and unpleasant task often done under very cold and wet conditions. Moreover, faster drainage of the standing water may be accomplished which is better for the crops and the soil. Also, because of the ability of the present invention to substantially maximize the flow volume through the drain inlet, it is no longer necessary as in the prior art that the drain inlet body stand as tall as it must to insure adequate flow volume. Therefore, the height of the drain inlet may be substantially shortened to a height which may be easily avoided by, for example combines during harvest most of which have heads which can be elevated three or more feet above the level of the ground. Still another advantage of the positioning of the openings in the drain inlet of the present invention in laterally extending walls is that the flow of the liquid from the pond into the drain inlet is upward, and any debris that may be trapped on the downwardly facing openings tends to fall away by gravity both during the draining procedure and after the pond has been drained. Thus, the openings of the drain inlet of the present invention are relatively self cleaning. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the amount of residue or debris that enters the buried drain tile is substantially reduced. This reduces the amount of BOD and nitrates in the water and the possibility of potential clogging and need to clean out or replace the buried drain tile.
In one principal aspect of the present invention, a drain inlet for draining a fluid from an area comprises a body having a chamber therein for receiving the fluid from the area and an opening adjacent the bottom of the body for draining the fluid from the chamber. At least two side walls form the body and are spaced from each other in the direction of the height of the body, the side wall closest to the opening adjacent the bottom of the body being smaller in lateral cross section than the lateral cross section of the next adjacent side wall which is farther from the opening. A wall extends laterally between the two side walls, and an opening is positioned in the laterally extending wall, whereby the fluid flows upwardly through the opening in the laterally extending wall and into the chamber, and out of the chamber through the opening adjacent the bottom of the body to drain the area of the fluid.
In another principal aspect of the present invention, a plurality of the openings are located in the laterally extending wall.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the total cross sectional area of the openings in the laterally extending wall is at least as great as the cross sectional area of the opening adjacent the bottom of the body.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the opening in the laterally extending wall is an elongate slot.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, an upstanding member is positioned around the opening in the laterally extending wall.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the upstanding member is a flange.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, a cover is positioned adjacent the uppermost of the side walls.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, ribs are on the cover.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the cover is generally imperforate.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the cover has openings through which the fluid also flows into the chamber.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the drain inlet includes a high visibility component.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, ribs are positioned on the side walls.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the laterally extending wall extends between the top of the side wall adjacent the opening adjacent the bottom of the body and the bottom of the next adjacent side wall which is farther from the opening.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the drain inlet comprises a plurality of the laterally extending walls and side walls, whereby the body increases in cross section from the bottom to the top thereof, each laterally extending wall extends laterally between the top of one side wall and the bottom of the next upwardly adjacent side wall. A plurality of openings are located in each laterally extending wall, the openings are elongated slots and, the total cross sectional area of the slots is at least as great as the cross sectional area of the opening adjacent the bottom of the body. A cover is located adjacent the uppermost of the side walls.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.